Genre: Detective

The Desert Rats

Strange things start to happen as soon as psychic investigator Mason and his boyfriend, Ned, and their roommate, Peggy, arrive in the high desert. An old friend sends him on a quest to identify an artifact found hidden among his dead father’s possessions, and the journey brings him into contact with a series of odd characters—not least the enigmatic Laura, who’s camping out on the desert but seems to be up to something else. With the help of a manicurist, a librarian, and a revealing side-trip back to Los Angeles, Mason manages to sharpen his psychic skills and gain insights into Gilbert’s artifact—and perhaps even the hidden structure of the world.

“A whole new exciting slant on private eye-ing … may we see more of Mason, his unabashedly psychic detective and a lot more of Church’s no-nonsense plotting. I loved it—couldn’t put it down.” —David Osborn, best-selling author of Open Season, Murder On Martha’s Vineyard, and The French Decision

The Invisible Arrow

When an old client sends psychic investigator Mason on a ghost hunt, he stumbles onto a research lab populated by strangely passive scientists with some remarkably advanced tech. Ingratiating himself with Annette, the director, by participating in the local town’s folk festival as the Hunter, Mason scores a gig—to find Qualtrough, a scientist gone missing under mysterious circumstances. Equipped by the researchers with a new suit and a fat wad of cash, and using his burgeoning psychic powers, Mason sets out on his own to hunt for Qualtrough in the shadowy underworld of Los Angeles nightlife, tangling with drag queens, cops, and con artists and finding his voice in an unfamiliar world.

“Mason is a hero like none who have come before him: a sensitive, queer P.I. whose only weapon is his intuition. This book turns the detective genre on its head and makes you think about the ninety percent of your brain you’re not using.” —Teja Watson, author of Attic.doc

The Margarita Solution

Sometimes all a woman needs is a decent man—even if she’s not sleeping with him. For Celeste, her longtime friend Truman fills some of the gaps, leaving her the luxury of being choosier in her romantic pursuits. Truman has his own issues chasing guys, in his perpetual quest for the right man, and the pair of them manage not to get jealous when they target the same ones.

In this first novel in the Truman and Celeste series, Truman stumbles into a detective gig while trying to imbibe a margarita, and soon finds himself hunting for a guy named Jaime in a rough neighborhood, getting embroiled with a series of increasingly troublesome lowlifes, none of whom ever seem to tell him the truth. Drawn into the mystery, Celeste works her contacts in the art world and meets a guy who’s all sweet chocolate on the surface but has some toxic secrets underneath, all the while helping Truman avoid his more boneheaded instincts in his research and working up some job prospects for herself.

Join Truman and Celeste as they troll the gritty underbelly of Los Angeles, never hesitating to slam that cocktail, hit on guys, or ask the next relevant question.

“Truman is like that twinkie who slipped through your fingers that time—sweet and a little naive but whip-smart. And every man should have a reliable friend like Celeste. With these two booze hounds running around, the city promises to be a little wilder, and a whole lot more exciting.” —George Bixley, author of That First Heady Burn

Penstock Canyon

Helping out Gilbert, a friend who’s suffering from late-night visitations, psychic investigator Mason is confronted with aliens on the roof, and soon finds himself caught in a whirlwind of paranormal events. Liminal beings contract him to stop a very real land development project in Los Angeles, pitting him against ruthless and powerful forces. With help from his boyfriend, Ned, and their roommate, Peggy, Mason manages to con his way into obtaining documents that might upend the whole project, but is it worth his own safety? A threatening visit from a shadowy figure and an alien abduction therapist from Texas have Mason questioning his career, his motivations, and the very nature of reality.

“In the world of crime fiction, few come up with true originality. But Christopher Church has, and with exciting imagination.… Keep reading—you won’t regret a single gripping page.” —David Osborn, best-selling author of Open Season, Murder on Martha’s Vineyard, and The French Decision

The Mythical Blond

Strange things happen in the desert Southwest. Hired to work a contract job at a remote military base in Nevada, psychic investigator Mason soon finds the Navy’s real motivation for luring him there involves an old friend and her ratty jalopy. On the way back to Los Angeles he gets entangled with Effie, who has an intensely dysfunctional relationship with her husband, and Iris, who recruits him to do an episode of reality TV. His understanding of the world begins to warp as Effie and Iris act out ancient mythologies in their own lives, dragging Mason into exploits that include safecracking, a séance, and a time-travel excursion.

This latest installment in the Mason Braithwaite Paranormal Mystery Series sees the disheveled redhead honing his psychic chops while digging deeper into paranormal phenomena. His boyfriend, Ned, and their roommate, Peggy, try to be stabilizing forces in Mason’s life, but the echoes of the past make him start to question the nature of reality itself.

“A whole new exciting slant on private eye-ing.… May we see more of Mason, his unabashedly psychic detective, and a lot more of Church’s no-nonsense plotting. I loved it—couldn’t put it down.” —David Osborn, best-selling author of Open Season, Murder On Martha’s Vineyard, and The French Decision

Reach for the Sky

A bougie addict and his wife hire Mason to hunt for buried loot, but he’s not even sure it exists. His psychic insights lead him to an old building with a lot to hide, as well as trying to outwit a Freemason, and getting tangled up with a woman who claims to be rooting out corruption in local government—but why does she need a psychic to do that? Working undercover for her at city hall, he runs up against some vicious civil servants who will stop at nothing to protect the status quo.

The third installment of the Mason Braithwaite Paranormal Mystery Series finds the bicycle-riding psychic investigator gaining confidence in using his newfound reality-distorting research techniques, struggling with his own rapid evolution while being drawn into unexpected peril as he navigates the shiny heights and gritty underbelly of Los Angeles. Despite his instinct to blame his boyfriend for getting involved with shady people, Ned is always there to provide insight and help pick up the pieces, and their roommate, Peggy, is back on stage and more pregnant than ever. With deft manipulation, Mason cuts through the lies and exposes secrets that are both dark and twisted and incredibly inspiring.

“In the world of crime fiction, few come up with true originality. But Christopher Church has, and with exciting imagination.… Keep reading—you won’t regret a single gripping page.” —David Osborn, best-selling author of Open Season, Murder on Martha’s Vineyard, and The French Decision

True Vermilion

Don’t mess with the hothead—or he might just mess with you. Slater Ibáñez is only interested in two kinds of guys: the ones he wants to punch, and the ones he sleeps with. Things get interesting when they start to overlap. A freelance investigator, Slater trolls the dark side of Los Angeles, rooting out insurance fraud, not afraid to use whatever means necessary to get things done, and not about to hold back with his fists. A queer antihero for a new age, Slater walks the line between ordinary life and the frayed fringes of society, keeping his balance with the jobs that his employer, Della, throws his way, and the back-channel support he gets from his idiot cop ex-boyfriend, Conrad.

Hired to look into the theft of an expensive piece of jewelry, Slater soon finds himself entangled with a delusional high-end clothing manufacturer who sees the good in everyone, his snooty socialite wife, described as “damaged,” and her book-smart smoking-hot stepson. Which one of them is lying to Slater—and who, exactly, is the slippery con artist in the red miniskirt? From his new digs in the Fashion District, and with the help of a new business partner, Slater stalks wealthy lowlifes and their minions in boutiques and clubs, breaking into places he’s not supposed to be, winding up the middle of the desert in the middle of the night—and never hesitating to serve up a beatdown.

“Once again, Slater Ibáñez hits the mean streets and the dark side of Los Angeles. His sexual exploits are hard to keep up with, but he never loses the plot in this compelling detective caper.” —Christopher Church, author of Penstock Canyon

Billy Blood

A fender-bender on the freeway gets psychic investigator Mason entangled with Catherine, an enigmatic visitor from DC—but who, exactly, does she work for? Trying to track her down, he runs across Billy Blood, a Los Angeles company that markets a stomach-churning “lifestyle drink” made with animal blood, and goes to work for its shady CEO to find out who has been vandalizing the product. Recruited by Hanh, an old friend from the psychic world, to rescue a lost colleague, Mason meets an ally with serious dirt on the company, and manages to dredge up some of his own. And why is Catherine so interested in his research work for Billy Blood? Hounded by the media and mortified to see his face on the news, Mason battles a billion-dollar corporation, sharpening his psychic skills and wrestling with a dilemma most of us face at one time or another—doing what’s convenient versus doing what’s right.

Backed by his boyfriend, Ned, and their roommate, Peggy, who are almost always willing to help him out, this fourth book in the Mason Braithwaite Paranormal Mystery Series sees the bicycle-commuting detective using his psychic insight, along with a newfound experimental hypnosis technique, on the seedy side of the West Coast entertainment industry.

“Church’s exquisite details, simple yet powerful, make the book’s supernatural scenes believable, even as they defy logic. His intelligent writing allows a surprisingly complex story to unfold with the perfect integrity of an origami animal.” —Yarrott Benz, author of The Bone Bridge and 2016 IPPY Award gold medalist

The Dark Shill

Don’t mess with the hothead—or he might just mess with you. Slater Ibáñez is only interested in two kinds of guys: the ones he wants to punch, and the ones he sleeps with. Things get interesting when they start to overlap. A freelance investigator, Slater trolls the dark side of Los Angeles, rooting out insurance fraud, not afraid to use whatever means necessary to get things done, and not about to hold back with his fists. A queer antihero for a new age, Slater walks the line between ordinary life and the frayed fringes of society, keeping his balance with the jobs that his employer, Della, throws his way, and the back-channel support he gets from his idiot cop ex-boyfriend, Conrad.

In this third book in the series, a routine insurance gig sends Slater after Derek, an accountant who claims to be too debilitated even to meet with him. But why is he never at his crummy little apartment? Rahim, the achingly hot sales manager at Derek’s office, doesn’t reveal much, except when he and Slater wind up in the sack—an attraction that might be diverting Slater from uncovering the truth. Gwen, the high-style HR director, is definitely concealing her relationship with Derek, just like Dave, the head of the company, caught skulking around dive bars and the back streets of Skid Row. Intensity builds as Slater goes undercover to root out malpractice by a sleazy plastic surgeon, following leads in the case high and low, pausing only to punch out tweakers, grifters, and bullies along the way.

The Hillside Roble

Slater Ibáñez is only interested in two kinds of guys: the ones he wants to punch, and the ones he sleeps with. Things get interesting when they start to overlap. A freelance investigator, Slater trolls the dark side of Los Angeles, rooting out insurance fraud, not afraid to use whatever means necessary to get things done, and not about to hold back with his fists. A queer antihero for a new age, Slater walks the line between ordinary life and the frayed fringes of society, keeping his balance with the jobs that his employer, Della, throws his way, and the back-channel support he gets from his idiot cop ex-boyfriend, Conrad, and regular squeeze Andy.

Investigating a million-dollar heist at a gallery in the Arts District, Slater can’t get a face-to-face with the owner, Eli, until he applies a little pressure, which leads to an evening invite to a tony mansion in the hills. Eli turns out to be a minor celebrity, physically flawless but obsessed with his own image, and flaky in that uniquely LA way. Gallery manager Pilar and her girlfriend are hiding something too, but Slater works to uncover the dirt with some surveillance and subterfuge, briefly posing as a straight guy to get some answers. Eli’s nephew Ty seems guileless at first, but what is he really up to at his massage-parlor job? Join Slater as he closes in on the truth, never hesitating to use his fists or his libido to cut through the secrets and deception.

“This book is a page turner. Its fast and breezy writing style is a delight. And best of all, the mystery is a real surprise.” —an Amazon reader

The Man from Grapalia

When Etor shows up on the doorstep of the wealthy Whitby family claiming to be a long-lost relative, Henry, the scion of the Los Angeles dynasty, hires psychic investigator Mason to find out whether the interloper really did come from a parallel universe. Why does the matriarch, Margaret, hiding upstairs in her room, refuse to meet Mason? And why has Henry taken such a personal interest in Mason? With help from a bizarre splinter of his own personality and his burgeoning psychic insights, Mason snoops around the palatial Whitby estate, digging into the long-held secrets of the family and staff, and with an excursion to New Mexico, uncovers the truth about Etor, the man from Grapalia.

“Every foray by Church’s wonderful psychic detective Mason Braithwaite is a truly suspenseful page-turner in the most unusual crime series ever, and certainly one that no aficionado of crime fiction should miss.” —David Osborn, author of the best-selling Cold War thrillers The French Decision and Love and Treason

Rubber-Band Ball

A metallurgist's desire for Mason to locate the earth energy points running under Los Angeles seems straightforward enough, but what is he planning to do with them once he knows where they are? A shady real estate transaction and a bizarre machine hidden in the backyard might reveal some answers. Mason's research leads him to Julia, a waitress and part-time banker who draws him into a quest of her own, plumbing the depths of the radio era when she uncovers a cache of forgotten artifacts. And what does Meg, descendant of a long forgotten radio star, know about it, hiding from the world in her townhouse?

From digging up the yard to tracking down clues on the other side of the country, and with the begrudging support of his boyfriend, Ned, and help from their roommate, Peggy, the intrepid bicycle-riding psychic investigator uses his paranormal skills and real-world insights to get to the bottom of the twisted mystery.

“Another fast-paced ride through Los Angeles by Church, who continues to reinvent and reinvigorate Mason Braithwaite, keeping the Paranormal Mystery Series relevant and entertaining. Church’s writing is vivid, the worlds he creates believable, and his characters have a breadth of humanity, strength, and vulnerability that makes the series a fun-filled, page-turning adventure.” —Jeremy Randolph, author of The Mural

The Incidental Twin

Don’t mess with the hothead—or he might just mess with you. Slater Ibáñez is only interested in two kinds of guys: the ones he wants to punch, and the ones he sleeps with. Things get interesting when they start to overlap. A freelance investigator, Slater trolls the dark side of Los Angeles, rooting out insurance fraud, not afraid to use whatever means necessary to get things done, and not about to hold back with his fists. A queer antihero for a new age, Slater walks the line between ordinary life and the frayed fringes of society, keeping his balance with the back-channel support he gets from his idiot cop ex-boyfriend, Conrad, and regular squeeze Andy.

Two women who bear a remarkable resemblance to each other are brought together in a shelter for hillside residents fleeing the California wildfires. One of them, Gloria, asks Slater for help in tracking down the other, who’s using her identity to run a shady export business. As he digs into the imbroglio, Slater turns up a series of stolen luxury cars, a garage hidden in an old church, and a whole lot of suspicious shipping containers. Not the kind of guy to keep it in his pants, Slater is soon sleeping with sweet sexy Lincoln—a penny-ante lowlife and someone he knows he can’t trust. As Slater navigates a seedy slice of the underworld, the buff mechanic thoroughly clouds his judgment. Will Slater’s libido finally get him trapped in a situation he can’t punch his way out of?

“With Slater I waffle between concern for his bad habits and getting turned on by his raunchiness. Rarely do we meet a character … so in touch with his id.” —Chester Henry, author of The Margarita Solution

A Stack of Sawbucks

Don’t mess with the hothead—or he might just mess with you. Slater Ibáñez is only interested in two kinds of guys: the ones he wants to punch, and the ones he sleeps with. Things get interesting when they start to overlap. A freelance investigator, Slater trolls the dark side of Los Angeles, rooting out insurance fraud, not afraid to use whatever means necessary to get things done, and not about to hold back with his fists. A queer antihero for a new age, Slater walks the line between ordinary life and the frayed fringes of society, keeping his balance with the back-channel support he gets from his idiot cop ex-boyfriend, Conrad.

Pulled in on a case by his business partner, Slater investigates reports of a ghost in a faded Miracle Mile apartment, where eerie noises start at the same time every night. But no one believes there’s anything supernatural going on, including the tenants—and why is there a sealed-off staircase in the middle of the living room? Using his illicit Russian tech, Slater soon discovers one of the neighbors has some dirty secrets, but the tenant upstairs presents a bigger challenge, with disproportionately sophisticated security measures. Managing his zealous sex life and aided by Andy, a new hookup, Slater tries to weasel out of his obligations to the Russians, finding himself driven to drastic measures when his partner suddenly disappears. Join Slater as he punches out knuckleheads, drinks too much, and muscles his way to the truth.

The Peroxide Pomp

Don’t mess with the hothead—or he might just mess with you. Slater Ibáñez is only interested in two kinds of guys: the ones he wants to punch, and the ones he sleeps with. Things get interesting when they start to overlap. A freelance investigator, Slater trolls the dark side of Los Angeles, rooting out insurance fraud, not afraid to use whatever means necessary to get things done, and not about to hold back with his fists. A queer antihero for a new age, Slater walks the line between ordinary life and the frayed fringes of society, keeping his balance with the back-channel support he gets from his idiot cop ex-boyfriend, Conrad, and regular squeeze Andy.

Interrupted late one night by Marisol, a desperate woman seeking help from his business partner, Slater agrees to go after her husband, Abner, a nebbishy accountant who’s making their divorce negotiations a nightmare. But why is Marisol traveling with a bodyguard, and why is she more interested in uncovering Abner’s secret assets than just warning him off? With Andy’s help, Slater infiltrates Abner’s office and befriends staffer Nolan on a quest to figure out where all the money is coming from. Unable to keep his libido in check, Slater winds up in bed with one of the principals, and struggles to keep the entanglement from clouding his judgment. After using his illicit Russian tech to surveille Abner and a degenerate religious nut, some covert deception with his elderly neighbor, and an excursion to a seedy bar in Albuquerque, Slater begins to unravel Marisol’s end game. Debilitated by his addictions dragging him closer to rock bottom, and wading through a sea of compulsive hookups with an array of guys, Slater is ultimately confronted with a moral dilemma that puts other people’s lives in the balance.

“It draws you in from the first page … like me, you will anxiously be waiting for the next one in the series.” —Amazon reader Out East

Signs Point to Yes

After quitting his dead-end job, Mason enacts his dream of becoming a psychic investigator, despite skepticism from his boyfriend. Eluding sketchy Hollywood thugs, surviving his first lap dance, and paying close attention to his dreams, he manages to solve a few mysteries and even surprise himself with his psychic skills.

“Looking for a page turning detective yarn which will keep you riveted right to the last word? Signs Point To Yes features a whole new exciting slant on private eye-ing and is the book for you. May we see more of Mason, his unabashedly psychic detective and a lot more of Church’s no nonsense plotting. I loved it. Couldn’t put it down.” —David Osborn, author of Murder on Martha’s Vineyard and The French Decision

That First Heady Burn

Don’t mess with the hothead—or he might just mess with you. Slater Ibáñez is only interested in two kinds of guys: the ones he wants to punch, and the ones he sleeps with. Things get interesting when they start to overlap. A freelance investigator, Slater trolls the dark side of Los Angeles, rooting out insurance fraud, not afraid to use whatever means necessary to get things done, and not about to hold back with his fists. A queer antihero for a new age, Slater walks the line between ordinary life and the frayed fringes of society, keeping his balance with the jobs that his employer, Della, throws his way, and the back-channel support he gets from his idiot cop ex-boyfriend, Conrad.

In this introductory novel in the series, Slater runs surveillance on an injured tech worker, soon finding that there are secrets lurking beneath the surface at his company. How do they generate so much revenue without employing anyone? Why does the founder spend so much time at the border? And why does a tech company need such heavy security? Tangling with blackmailers, party girls, late-night hookups with a gamut of guys, and a lot of bourbon, Slater uses his wits and a strong right hook to sort out bad from worse.

“Not bound by manners or even the law, but smart enough not to get caught, Slater is a raunchy badass who takes no guff. Who wouldn’t want to get involved with a guy who sleeps around so much? Climb in Slater’s T-bird—you’re in for a wild ride.” —Christopher Church, author of the Mason Braithwaite Paranormal Mystery Series